| For a beginner there are many choices when it | | | | grip and the motors do have a tendency to fall |
| comes to deciding on the material for a model | | | | off. Soft boards can be categorised with the |
| railway baseboard. For instance there is medium | | | | Sundeala product in respects of the ability to |
| density fibreboard (MDF), plywood, Sundeala | | | | mould it and the fitting of points underneath. |
| hobby boards, soft board, molded expanded | | | | These products are likely to make great model |
| polystyrene foam (MEPS), extruded expanded | | | | railway baseboards as they are light and easy to |
| polystyrene foam (EXPS) etc. Many of these are | | | | work with but you may have to put up with |
| ideal for your model railway and in many cases | | | | having surface mounted point motors rather than |
| the choice will be on what is available but if you | | | | fitting them under the track. |
| have a choice then which of these would you use | | | | Particle board (chipboard) is another engineered |
| for your model railway baseboard. | | | | wood product made from wood particles such as |
| First of all we have plywood and MEPS. Plywood is | | | | wood chips, sawmill shavings and sawdust!. A |
| an engineered board and is made from thin | | | | synthetic resin is added and the batch is pressed |
| sheets of woods. The layers are glued together | | | | and then passed through an extruder. The |
| with the grain of each layer at a 90 degree angle | | | | resulting product is cheaper, denser and more |
| to the previous layer. You will normally find an odd | | | | uniform that conventional wood and plywood |
| number of layers and the outside layers both had | | | | whilst also being very light. Particle board is the |
| the grain running in the same direction to minimise | | | | weakest type of fibre board and can be prone to |
| warping. The adhesive used is usually a | | | | collecting moisture unless properly sealed. If you |
| formaldehyde derivative and thus a mask should | | | | are going to use this, therefore, it is essential that |
| be worn whenever cutting or shaping plywood. | | | | you use a sealant on the board so that it reduces |
| MEPS is also an engineered wood product which is | | | | warp. |
| formed by breaking down softwood into wood | | | | Finally we have foam boards which are becoming |
| fibres. These fibres are combined with wax and a | | | | very popular with modellers as you can use it to |
| resin and then formed into boards. Again the | | | | construct your model railway baseboard and then |
| same problem with the possible release of | | | | also use it to build mountains and other scenery. |
| formaldehyde exists when cutting MEPS as with | | | | The MEPS and XEPS are both close-cell materials. |
| plywood. When it comes to cutting both MEPS | | | | The common use for MEPS is for everyday |
| and Plywood you will need to invest in power | | | | items such as coffee cups or packaging materials |
| tools such as a drill and a jigsaw. As for the model | | | | although you can large insulation sheet which is |
| railway baseboard you will find that these | | | | also known as beadboard. XEPS is, however, |
| products will serve you will as they are very | | | | more popular for model railway baseboards as it |
| strong and have no tendency to split or warp but | | | | has a higher strength and has excellent resistance |
| you will need the power tools and potentially the | | | | to moisture absorption. The panels come in a |
| products can be heavy if you need to move your | | | | variety of thicknesses so you can build up various |
| model railway baseboard. | | | | sizes for your mountains and then cut off pieces |
| Sundeala is a product available in the UK which is | | | | to make the results more lifelike. |
| becoming popular for Hobbyists. The boards are | | | | As you can see from the run down above there |
| made from recycled newspapers and are used | | | | are many materials that will make excellent model |
| for numerous purposes including displays, white | | | | railway baseboards and ultimately your choice will |
| boards, pin boards, packaging and model railway | | | | depend upon the conditions you are modelling in |
| baseboards. These baseboards are very soft and | | | | and the cost of the product. The extruded foam |
| can be modelled with a strong knife so there is no | | | | for example may look like the perfect material |
| need for the power tools but the flip side you | | | | but this may not be that easy to get hold of so |
| made find the fitting of point motors underneath | | | | you may have to compromise on your material |
| the surface very difficult as there is not much | | | | for your model railway baseboard. |